By You know, there comes a point where a part of me doesn’t want to have to write certain articles. I don’t want to write about Lola Bunny. She’s a character who was created back in 1996 for the original Space Jam and has grown into her own character over the past two decades. Back then, her only contribution was to be a female Bugs Bunny. A rabbit with boobs, if you will. She’s a hyper-sexualized rabbit who was created to add an element of femininity to the proceedings.
We all knew that Lola would be making a return in the upcoming Space Jam: A New Legacy, but because the internet is the internet, people are upset over the fact that Lola got a redesign. She’s no longer parading around with a crop-top exposing her midriff with her large… personalities. Instead, she’s wearing a uniform that women would actually wear in the WNBA.
So of course, people are pissed over the change. They’re mad that Lola Bunny was redesigned and people are making a huge fuss over it because I guess no one has anything better to do with their lives right now other than to argue over a cartoon rabbit being redesigned to not be as sexualized. But seriously… this is what people are making a fuss over? THIS?
Lola Bunny redesign from 1996 > 2021 pic.twitter.com/Uc4uBX7FCT
— SB® (@drakecereal) March 4, 2021
Sometimes there are controversies that deserve discussion and debate. Last year we had plenty of discussions about the viability of theaters staying open amidst a pandemic, the paradigm shift of movies transitioning from theaters to VOD, as well as companies like Warner Bros. just obliterating the theatrical window. This is not one of those instances. There is no real merit or worth in analyzing this because the answer is pretty obvious. No, this is not censorship.
I know that the word “censorship” is now thrown around without ANY IDEA what it actually means, so let me break it down for you right now. Did the United States government directly go to Warner Bros., stomp their way through the offices, and order Space Jam: A New Legacy’s director Malcolm D. Lee to redesign Lola or be sent to jail? No? Then it’s not censorship. This was a creative decision by Lee, as well as most of the other people in charge of this project, to update a character to reflect the past two decades of character development and not just revert back to how things were in the 90s. Don’t like it? Don’t see the movie. Problem solved.
But why is it a problem then? It’s not a case of censorship since that word does not apply to this case. No, the truth, as I see it, is, like always, one of the most obvious ones. People were aroused by Lola Bunny back in the 90s. And hey look, I don’t judge. We all got our own tastes and preferences, but if you’re mad that Lola Bunny is no longer the sexual icon you grew up with, then just say you’re a furry. There’s nothing wrong with being a furry! But you don’t need to hide who you truly are. It’s a safe place here at Flixist and if you’re attracted to a fictional cartoon rabbit, who am I to judge? But don’t try and say that it’s censorship, because that just makes you look like an idiot. At least the furry argument is a pretty cut a dry one. I can’t really argue against what you find or don’t find attractive.
And if you’re starving for some furry representation, specifically of the lupine variety, now that your patron saint is gone, then there are tons of different places for you to look to get your fix! Judy Hopps from Zootopia is pretty popular with the furry community from what I can tell. If you want one that’s a bit more overt, then Haru from Netflix’s Beastars is almost entirely focused on sex. Like, it’s all a part of a great character arc she undergoes to assert her own independence and strength in a world that views her as frail and weak, but she’s cute if you’re into that. She’ll be your new Lola.
Or, when in doubt, just go for the ever so classic Jessica Rabbit. I mean… furry or not, there is no denying that Jessica Rabbit is the most attractive rabbit in existence. Sure, she’s human and just has the last name Rabbit, but come on… male or female, we all probably at one point in our lives wished that we were Roger Rabbit.
Wait what was my point again? Oh yeah, go and watch Who Framed Roger Rabbit. That movie is excellent and has lovely animation, and won’t make you angry at the redesign of a damn fictional rabbit.
